PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS BEEN NAMED ONE OF THE BEST DRESSED MEN IN THE WORLD, BUT HIS WIFE MICHELLE IS BECOMING THE FASHION ICON.

Last week men's fashion was covered, namely men needing to suit up to match the efforts of today's women to look their best. This week's edition will take a look at women's fashion, which is where I ran into a bit of a problem.Fellas don't turn the page just yet. This can help you out too. I've come to find out that a guy can earn some cool points with women by having some knowledge about women's fashion.

The issue that I had when approaching this subject is that I'm a guy. What do I know about women's fashion? Sure, I know what looks good on a woman, but how she assembled that outfit, or where she purchased it from, I have no clue. So I had to turn to an expert for this one. I contacted Essence Magazine's Fashion & Beauty Editor Qianna Smith, who was kind enough to fill me in.

When it comes to fashion, according to Smith, there is a new icon. That would be First Lady Michelle Obama. "First Lady Michelle Obama has ushered in a new era of American style," Smith said. "She has introduced the world to American's finest established and emerging designers from Michael Kors to Jason Wu to Maria Pinto." Obama appears to have an unlimited budget when it comes to her wardrobe, but she knows how to keep it modest, which can benefit the workingwomen during these tough economic times.

"Keeping cost-conscience critics at bay, Mrs. Obama clearly mixes and matches high-end designers with mass market retailers like J-Crew to create a look that is relatable to the average woman," Smith said.

Obama does have some pricey items, but she also has sported many outfits that are reasonably priced. Her trick was to get back to the basics by purchasing items that are timeless and classic.

The First Lady does not take the approach that fancy name brands with expensive price tags are the way to go. She chooses outfits that make her look glamorous, regardless of the price.

Obama's look is not difficult to emulate, and it is a look that many women are gravitating towards. She is photographed daily, so what ever she wears is viewed all over the world. After she wore a $148 dress from White House Black Market on "The View," many viewers rushed to the store's website to purchase it.

Being younger than the typical First Lady has linked her to the workingwoman even more. Most women feel more of a tie to Obama than other First Ladies.

Stores such as White House Black Market, Spiegel, Wet Seal, Anthropolgie, dELiA*s, Forever 21, and Charlotte Russe have outfits that are very similar to her look and are very reasonable prices. To make shopping even easier, all of these stores have websites so you can make purchases from the comfort of your own home.If you're looking for a classy/savvy look at modest prices, Obama is the one to pattern your wardrobe after. You can view more of her outfits and read about more fashion tips from Qianna Smith at www.essence.com.

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